Auxiliary pushchair seat

Abstract

An auxiliary seat ( 1 ) attachable to a pushchair ( 2 ) to enable it to accommodate two children seated side-by-side. The seat comprises a frame ( 10 ) having a backrest ( 22 ) and a base ( 21 ) and a wheel ( 30 ) in contact with the ground in an operative position. A child seated on the base is supported with their back against the backrest ( 22 ). The frame ( 10 ) is configured so that the backrest ( 22 ) and the base ( 21 ) fold substantially flat when the auxiliary seat is not in use. The auxiliary seat ( 1 ), including the base ( 21 ) and backrest ( 22 ), can pivot relative to the pushchair ( 2 ) to be folded against the side thereof in a storage position with the wheel ( 30 ) off the ground, once the base ( 21 ) and the backrest ( 22 ) of the seat have been folded substantially flat.

1. An auxiliary seat attachable to a pushchair having a fixed frame, to enable the pushchair to accommodate two children seated side-by-side, the auxiliary seat comprising a frame having a backrest and a base and a wheel in contact with the ground in an erect operative position to support a child seated on the base with their back against the backrest, wherein the frame of the auxiliary seat is configured so that the backrest and the base fold substantially flat when the auxiliary seat is not in use and wherein the auxiliary seat, including the base and backrest, can pivot relative to the pushchair to be folded against the side thereof in a collapsed storage position with the wheel off the ground, once the base and backrest of the auxiliary seat have been folded substantially flat, the auxiliary seat further comprising an attachment mechanism which connects the auxiliary seat to the pushchair and which is configured to allow the position of the frame of the auxiliary seat to be adjusted forwards and backwards relative to the fixed frame of the pushchair and to be independently adjusted forwards and backwards relative to the attachment mechanism. 
   
   
     2. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the base and the backrest are pivotable relative to one another such that they are collapsible from the erect operative position to the collapsed storage position by means of a scissor-like mechanism. 
   
   
     3. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 2  wherein the scissor-like mechanism includes at least one sliding joint to enable the base and backrest to be erected and collapsed. 
   
   
     4. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 3  wherein the backrest is attached to one end of a first support strut and the base is attached to one end of a second support strut, and in which said first and second support struts are pivotable relative to each other and the end of the first support strut remote from the backrest is connected to the at least one sliding joint. 
   
   
     5. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 3  comprising a locking mechanism to retain the auxiliary seat in the erect operative position and which locks the at least one sliding joint in place. 
   
   
     6. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 5  wherein the locking mechanism comprises a latch extending from the at least one sliding joint, operable to lock onto a fixed shaft on the frame. 
   
   
     7. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 6  wherein the latch is located at one end of an arm, the arm rotatably mounted to the at least one sliding joint and operable to move from a first locked position in which the latch snags on the fixed shaft, to a second unlocked position in which the latch is clear of the fixed shaft to allow movement of the at least one sliding joint. 
   
   
     8. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  comprising a locking mechanism to retain the auxiliary seat in the erect operative position. 
   
   
     9. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the backrest and the base are pivotably connected to one another by hinge joints to be pivotable from the erect operative position to the collapsed storage position in which the backrest lies flat against the base. 
   
   
     10. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 9  wherein the base comprises a base frame and a seat covering attached thereto. 
   
   
     11. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 9  wherein the backrest comprises a backrest frame with a backrest covering attached thereto. 
   
   
     12. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 9  wherein the wheel is secured to the frame of the auxiliary seat by a pivotable wheel mechanism which can pivot from an extended operative position to a folded storage position in which the wheel mechanism lies substantially flat against the frame of the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     13. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 12  wherein the wheel mechanism includes a telescopic strut to allow the distance of the wheel from the frame of the auxiliary seat to be telescopically adjusted independently of the pivoting of the wheel mechanism between the operative position and the storage position. 
   
   
     14. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 13  wherein the telescopic strut includes a locking mechanism to lock the strut in a desired position. 
   
   
     15. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 12  wherein, in the storage position, the wheel mechanism lies flat against the base on the opposite side thereto to the backrest. 
   
   
     16. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 12  wherein the wheel mechanism is connected to the frame of the auxiliary seat at said hinge joints. 
   
   
     17. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 16  wherein the backrest and the wheel mechanism are mechanically connected to one another to be moveable together between their respective operative position and their folded storage position. 
   
   
     18. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 16  wherein at least one hinge joint includes a locking means to lock the backrest in the operative position or in the storage position. 
   
   
     19. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 17  wherein at least one hinge joint includes a locking means to lock the backrest and the mechanically associated wheel mechanism in the operative position or in the storage position. 
   
   
     20. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 18  wherein the locking means includes a pair of ratchet plates operated by a cam lever to move from a locked position in which ratchets of each plate engage with each other, to an unlocked position in which the ratchets of each plate are out of engagement with each other to allow at least one of the backrest and wheel mechanism to pivot about the hinge joints. 
   
   
     21. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the frame of the auxiliary seat is attached to the pushchair by a first clamping means extending from one side of the frame of the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     22. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 21  wherein the first clamping means is attached to a first support strut which is hingedly attached to the frame of the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     23. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 21  wherein the frame of the auxiliary seat is further attached to the pushchair by a second clamping means extending from said one side of the frame of the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     24. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 23  wherein the second clamping means is hingedly attached to the frame of the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     25. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 23  wherein the first and second clamping means are attachable to a supplementary pushchair frame bar which includes further attachment means operable to fix the bar and seat attached thereto, to a conventional pushchair. 
   
   
     26. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 23  wherein the first and second clamping means are attachable to a replacement pushchair frame bar which can be fitted in place of an existing section of frame of a conventional pushchair to fix the auxiliary seat thereto. 
   
   
     27. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  including at least one clamp to secure the auxiliary seat to a frame of a pushchair. 
   
   
     28. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 27  wherein the at least one clamp is attached to a connection bar, and the frame of the auxiliary seat is attached to the connection bar by at least one hinge connector to be pivotable relative to the connection bar. 
   
   
     29. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 28  wherein at least one of the at least one clamp and the at least one hinge connector are slidable relative to the connection bar to allow the position of the frame of the auxiliary seat to be adjusted relative to the pushchair. 
   
   
     30. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 28  wherein the frame, the at least one hinge connector and the connection bar are releasably attached to the at least one clamp. 
   
   
     31. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 28  wherein the at least one hinge connector includes a locking mechanism to lock the auxiliary seat in the operative position. 
   
   
     32. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the wheel is detachable. 
   
   
     33. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  including a locking mechanism to secure the auxiliary seat in the storage position. 
   
   
     34. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the wheel is positioned such that when the auxiliary seat is mounted on the pushchair in an operative position, the wheel is in alignment with a rear wheel of the pushchair. 
   
   
     35. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the wheel is positioned such that when the auxiliary seat is mounted on the pushchair in an operative position, an axle of the wheel is coaxial with an axle of a rear wheel of the pushchair. 
   
   
     36. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  which is attachable to a pushchair to enable two children to be seated side-by-side and facing the same direction. 
   
   
     37. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  wherein the auxiliary seat includes a safety harness to retain a child in position thereon. 
   
   
     38. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  further including a rain cover attached to the auxiliary seat to at least partially surround a child sitting on the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     39. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  further including a sunshade attached to the auxiliary seat to shade a child sitting on the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     40. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  further including a toy steering wheel positionable in front of a child sitting on the auxiliary seat. 
   
   
     41. An auxiliary seat according to  claim 1  further including a toy hobby-horse style attachment positionable in front of a child sitting on the auxiliary seat.